“Goes with the dress.” I rustled his hair and he smiled.
“Even if it’s fake, it looks real, so you better not wear it again. You might lose a digit.”
“Noted.” I turned toward Angelo. “How are you feeling?”
“Fine.” He went back to the comic he was reading.
I sighed, the pressure in my heart immense. I kept trying to remind myself that he was a teenager, and teenagers are moody, but I kept feeling like I’d failed him somehow and would never be able to have a close relationship with him.
After what had happened during his surgery, I felt such a relief at seeing him. Maybe I took for granted how much I needed them too, because I was always so busy trying to make it—for the four of us. I just wanted to change my clothes and relish the fact that Jerry had no hold on him, and he was going home.
I could forget the last twenty-four hours for a while.
Angelo knew what had happened during surgery, though. The doctor told him that he would always have to let medical professionals know about his reaction to anesthesia. It seemed like Angelo blamed me for it. He’d always been a little further away from me than Phoenix, and I could feel the gap between us widening.
I had no clue what to fucking do. It seemed like he was never happy.
“I’m going to change out of these fancy clothes, and after, how about the three of us play a board game or something?” Georgia had bought some.
Phoenix was all for it.
I looked at Angelo. “You?”
“What happened to your face?”
I automatically touched it and winced. That asshole had backhanded me and probably left a bruise. I hadn’t seen my face since I’d done my makeup before I left for Portofino. I was too tired to even come up with a lie. I just shrugged, and he turned away from me.
After I took a quick shower and melted into a comfortable top and shorts, I tried to spend some real quality time with the boys. Phoenix had coaxed Angelo into the game, and after a little while, he softened up some. Phoenix even got him to laugh when he started flinging fake money from the game all over, waxing poetic about losing.
By the third game, I fell asleep with the cards on my chest. It felt like Phoenix woke me up seconds later when he told me I had to get dressed for work.
Work.
I owed Vinny for bailing me out, and I didn’t want to deal with his bitching ass if he thought I wasn’t going to pay him back. He’d weasel his way into every facet of my life if I didn’t.
Besides, I wasn’t that person. The one who skipped out on my responsibilities. Vinny was a weasel, but he did help sometimes. I didn’t want to burn him.
It took me longer than usual to get ready. The bruise was angry looking, and I had to layer my makeup to cover it. I said goodbye to the boys, grabbed my bag, and then stopped short when I was out in the parking lot.
Did I even have a car?
It was like the universe was always so eager to answer me. An all-black Maserati sport utility with tinted windows stopped in front of me. Umberto got out and handed me the keys.
My eyes narrowed on the diamond-encrusted license plate.Mrs. Big.
I squeezed the keys and tried to ignore Umberto’s grin as I climbed inside. It had a new-car smell, and everything was lit up like the cockpit of a jet.
That new-car smell. No smoke from the hood. Enough room for the boysandair conditioning.
I almost started to cry, but then I remembered who it came from.
This car came with emotional interest, and this was only the beginning. Every time I looked at my left hand, I was reminded of the shackle. Of what I owed him.
Basically, my life.
The ring glittered really pretty, though, against the black leather upholstery.
Dynamic’s parking lot was filled with employees’ cars, since the rush wouldn’t happen for another hour or two. It wouldn’t take long until it was overflowing. It was Dynamic night, and that meant we’d have shows that spanned decades. Hits from the 1960s onwards.
